Story by Ethan
On November 6th, 2025, the arrest of Wilmer A. Velasquez-Orellans, age 37, was announced by Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay. Wilmer A. Velasquez-Orellans was charged with first-degree Murder, second-degree Aggravated Assault, third-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and fourth-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. The arrest and charges against Wilmer A. Velasquez-Orellans were a result of an investigation handled by the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force – Camden Division and the Lindenwold Police Department.
According to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, on June 13th, 2025, reports of an assault were made on the 500 block of East Gibbsboro Road at the Pinewood Estates apartment complex in Lindenwold, New Jersey. At approximately 4:58 a.m., responding officers from the Lindenwold Police Department located the victim, later identified as 42-year old Alvaro I. Reyes-Rizo, suffering from an injury to the head, and they swiftly transported him to the Cooper University Hospital for treatment. On August 13th, 2025, Alvaro I. Reyes-Rizo succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at Cooper University Hospital.
An investigation was launched by detectives from the Lindenwold Police Department, and they were able to obtain surveillance video capturing the suspect striking Alvaro I. Reyes-Rizo on the head with a club-like object during a physical altercation. Detectives identified Wilmer A. Velasquez-Orellans as the suspect depicted in the surveillance footage, and he was taken into custody without incident on June 13th, 2025. Initially the court released Wilmer A. Velasquez-Orellans with conditions, however he was later taken into custody again on November 3rd, 2025, and was placed in the Camden County Correctional Facility.
The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office stated that the charges against Wilmer A. Vasequez-Orellans are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
